Dictionary of Greek and Roman antiquities. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

ACHAICUMI FOEDUS. ACITAICLTI FOEDUS..5
regarded as dependent, and bound to obey in every might find it difficult to gain a liearing amnong the
respect the federal govermnent, and those officers crowds of ignorant and foolish people. (Polyb.
who were entrusted with the executive. (Polyb. xxxviii. 4.) It is, however, natural to suppose that
ii. 37, &c.) No town therefore was allowed to the ordinary meetings, unless matters of special
trant with any foreign power without the sanction importance were to be discussed, were attended
of the others. Aegium, for religious reasons, was chiefly by the wealthier classes, who had the means
at first appointed the central point of the league, of paying the expenses of their journey, for great
and retained this distinction until the time of Phi- -numbers lived at a considerable distance from the
lopoemen, who carried a decree that the meetings place of meeting.
might be held in any of the towns of the con- The subjects which were to be brought before
federacy. (Liv. xxxviii. 30.) Aegium therefore the assembly were prepared by a council (/3ovxi),
was the seat of the government, and it was there which seems to have been permanent. (Polyb.
that the citizens of the various towns met at regular xxiii. 7, xxviii. 3, xxix. 9; Plut. Arat. 53.) The
and stated times, to deliberate upon the common principal subjects on which the great assembly had
afahirs of the league, and if it was thought neces- to decide were —peace and war (Polyb. iv. 15,
sary, upon those of separate towns, and even upon &c.); the reception of new towns into the conindividuals, and to elect the officers of the league. federacy (Polyb. xxv. 1); the election of the maAfter having thus established a firm union among gistrates of the confederacy (Polyb. iv. 37. 82;
themselves, they zealously exerted themselves in PIlt. Arat. 41); the punishment of crimes comdelivering other towns also from their tyrants and mitted by these magistrates, though sometimes
oppressors. The league, however, acquired its special judges were appointed for that purpose, as
great strength in B. c. 251, when Aratus united well as the honours or distinctions to be conferred
Sicyon, his native place, with it, and some years upon them. (Polyb. iv. 14, viii. 14, xl. 5. 8; Pans.
later gained Corinth also for it. Megara, Troezene, vii. 9.) The ambassadors of foreign nations had
and Epidaurus soon followed their example'. After- to appear before the assembly, and to deliver the
wards Aratus persuaded all the more important messages of their states, which were then discussed
towns of Peloponnesus to join the confederacy, and by the assembled Achaeans. (Polyb. iv. 7, xxiii.
thus Megalopolis, Argos, Hermione, Phlius, and 7, &c., xxviii. 7; Liv. xxxii. 9.) The assembly
others were added to it. In a short period the likewise had it in its power to decree, as to wheleague reached the height of its power, for it em- ther negotiations were to be carried on with any
braced Athens, Megara, Aegina, Salamis, and the foreign power or not, and no single town was alwhole of Peloponnesus, with the exception of lowed to send embassies to a foreign power on its
Sparta, Elis, Tegea, Orchomenos, and Mantineia. own responsibility even on matters of merely local
Greece seemed to revive, and promised to become importance, although otherwise every separate town
stronger and more united than ever, but it soon managed its own internal affairs at its own diswas clear that its fresh power was only employed cretion, so long as it did not interfere with the
in self-destruction and annihilation. But it would interests of the league. No town further was albe foreign to the object of this work to enter fur- lowed to accept presents from a foreign power.
ther into the history of the confederacy: we must (Polyb. xxiii. 8; Paus. vii. 9.) The votes in the
confine ourselves to an outline of its constitution, assembly were given according to towns, each havas it existed at the time of its highest prosperity. ing one vote, whether the town was large or small.
Polybius (ii. 38) remarks that there was no (Liv. xxxii. 22, &c.)
other constitution in the world, in which all the The principal officers of the confederacy were.
members of the community had such a perfect 1. at first two strategi (aorpa7Tyoi), but after the
equality of rights, and so much liberty, and, in year B. c. 255, there was only one (Strab. viii.
short, which was so perfectly democratical and so p. 385), who in conjunction with an hipparchus
fiee from all selfish and exclusive regulations, as (iTr7rapXos) or commander of the cavalry (Polyb.
the Achaean league; for all members had equal v. 95, xxviiL 6) and an under-strategus (67roo-rparights, whether they had belonged to it for many'ryds, PolyL. iv. 59) commanded the army furyears, or whether they had only just joined it, and nished by the confederacy, and was entrusted with
whether they were large or small towns. The the whole conduct of war; 2. a public secretary
common affairs of the confederate towns were regu- (ypaegae'rs s), and 3. ten demiurgi (87yzpo vpyo[,
lated at general meetings attended by the citizens Strab. 1. c.; Liv. xxxii. 22, xxxviii. 30; Polvb. v.
of all the towns, and held regularly twice every 1, xxiii. 10, who calls the demiurgi ipXoYres).
year, in the spring and in the autumn. These These officers seem to have presided in the great
meetings which lasted three days, were held in a assembly, where they probably formed the body of
grove of Zeus Homlagyrius in the neighbourhood of men which Polybius (xxxviii. 5) calls the yepovota;
Aegium, andnear asanctuary of Demeter Panachaea. the demiurgi or the strategus might convene the
(Polyb. ii. 54, iv. 37, v. 1, xxix. 9; Liv. xxxii. 22, assembly, though the latter only when the people
xxxviii. 32; Strab. viii. p. 385; Paus. vii. 24.) In were convened in arms and for military purposes.
cases of urgent necessity, however, extraordinary (Polyb. iv. 7; Liv. xxxv. 25.) All the officers of
meetings might be convened, either at Aegium or the league were elected in the assembly held in
in any other of the confederate places. (Liv. xxxi. the spring, at the rising of the Pleiades (Polyb. ii.
25'; Polyb. xxv. 1, xxix. 8; Plut. Arat. 41.) 43, iv. 6. 37, v. 1), and legally they were invested
Every citizen, both rich and poor, who had at- with their several offices only for one year, though
tained the age of thirty, might attend the assem- it frequently happened that men of great merit and
blies, speak and propose any measure, to which distinction were re-elected for several successive
they were invited by a public herald. (Polyb. years. (PlUt. Acrat. 24. 30, Cleoez. 15.) If one of
xxix. 9; Liv. xxxii. 20.) Under these circum- the officers died during the period of his office, his
stances the assemblies were sometimes of the most place was filled by his predecessor, until the tim9
tumultuous kind, and a wise and experienced man for the new elections arrived. (Pol~yb. xl. 2.) Tim
n